?>

PD Info Public Domain Information Project

Public Domain Songs

Search PD Songs

WBest Known Public Domain SongsW List of 57

Entertainer

IMPORTANT: This list is based on USA Copyright Law and is intended only as a help in researching public domain music. This list is NOT sufficient documentation that music is in the Public Domain. To prove PD status in the USA, you MUST find a published copy of the song with a copyright date of 1926 or earlier. Our PD Sheet Music Reprints are exact reprints of books and sheet music published in 1926 or earlier and include music, lyrics, and complete original copyright information. Some of these songs may not be PD in countries other than the USA.

 TitleV=Verse   C=Chorus   N=Note   P=Production
w=Words   m=Music
1 - 3  $5 ea
4 up  $4 ea
Songs are on this PD list if we have a pre-1927 PD sheet music publication in our library AND if anyone has asked about PD status of the song in the past 20 years.
Wait 'Til the Sun Shine Nellie
Popular Song
1905 - m. Harry Von Tilzer, w. Andrew Sterling PD Reprint
Wait Till My Ship Comes In
Popular Song
1898 - m. Max S. Witt, w. George Taggart PD Reprint
Waitin' For The Evenin' Mail
Popular Song
1923 - Billy Baskette PD Reprint
Waiting for the Robert E. Lee
Popular Song
1912 - m. Lewis F. Muir, w. L. Wolfe Gilbert PD Reprint
Waltz Me Around Again, Willie
Popular Song
1906 - m. Ren Shields, w. Will D. Cobb PD Reprint
Waltz of the Flowers- The Nutcracker Suite
Traditional
1891 - Tchaikovsky PD Reprint
Waltzing Matilda
Traditional
1903 V - Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong, Under the shade of a coolibah tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his Billy boiled, 'You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.' C - Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me. N - CAUTION: Many well known versions were published after 1922 and are NOT in the public domain in the USA. PD Reprint
Wang Wang Blues
Popular Song
1921 - m. Gus Mueller, Buster Johnson, Henry Busse, w. Leo Wood PD Reprint
Washington and Lee Swing
Popular Song
PD Reprint
Washington Post
Patriotic
1889 - m. John Philip Sousa N - March PD Reprint
Way Down Upon the Swanee RiverSee Old Folks at Home
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
Popular Song
1922 - w.m. Henry Creamer, Turner Layton V - Guess! Where do you think I'm going when the winds start blowing strong? Guess! Where do you think I'm going when the nights start growing long? C - Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of dreamy scenes There's a garden of Eden. That's what I mean. PD Reprint
We Shall Overcome
Traditional
V - We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome some day. Oh, deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome some day. N - Possibly spiritual or derivative of I'll Overcome Some Day by C. Albert Tindley, 1900.
Placed in public domain by judicial judgment of USDC Southern District: 'the Defendants have no valid copyright in the words and melody of the first verse of 'We Shall Overcome' because it lacks originality.'
PD Reprint
We Shall OvercomeSee We Shall Overcome
We Won't Go Home Till Morning
Traditional
V - We're all met here together, We all met here together . . . To eat and drink good cheer C - For we won't go home till morning,We won't go home till morning . . . Till day light does appear. N - Tune: For He's A Jolly Good Fellow PD Reprint
Wearin' o' the Green
Traditional
1798 PD Reprint
Were You There?
Spiritual
V - Were you there when they crucified my Lord? C - O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, Were you there when they crucified my Lord? PD Reprint
West Of The Great Divide
Popular Song
1924 - w. George Whiting, m. Ernest R. Ball PD Reprint
Westminster Quarters
Traditional
1793 - Likely by Rev. Dr. Joseph Jowett, Dr. John Randall, William Crotch N - a.k.a. Westminster Chimes
Chimes of Big Ben clock in London
PD Reprint
What A Friend We Have in Jesus
Hymn
1876 - m. C. Crozat Converse, w. H. Bonar V - What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and grief to bear PD Reprint
What Has Become Of Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo
Popular Song
1924 - w.m. Al Dubin, Irving Mills, Jimmy McHugh, Irwin Dash V - Do you ever think of the time when all of the boys went 'cross the sea, To the land of Wee Wee Wee, Where they rolled with Sweet Marie C - What has become of 'Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo'? . . . Maybe she still is true to you and true to the rest of the army, too. Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo N - Has 26 verses. PD Reprint
What You Goin' To Do When The Rent Comes 'Round
Popular Song
1905 - m. Harry Von Tilzer, w. Andrew Sterling C - Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown, What You Goin' To Do When The Rent Comes 'Round PD Reprint
What'll I Do
Popular Song
1924 - w.m. Irving Berlin P - Music Box Revue of 1923 PD Reprint
When Clouds Have Vanished And Skies Are Blue
Popular Song
1923 - m. Charles L. Johnson, w. William R. Clay V - Sweetheart, of you I am dreaming. Here in the sunset glow; And while the night winds are bringing Thot's of the long ago. C - When clouds have vanished and skies are blue, I'll come back, sweetheart, to you. Back to the best pal I ever knew, Your smiles and your love so true. PD Reprint
When Do We Dance
Popular Song
1925 - w. Ira Gershwin, m. George Gershwin PD Reprint
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Popular Song
1912 - m. Ernest Ball, w. Chauncey Olcott, George Graff V - There's a tear in your eye, And I'm wondering why, For it never should be there at all. C - When Irish eyes are smiling, Sure it's like a morn in Spring. In the lilt of Irish laughter, You can hear the angels sing. PD Reprint
When It's Night Time In Italy, It's Wednesday Over Here
Popular Song
1923 - w.m. James Kendis, Lew Brown PD Reprint
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Patriotic
1863 - w.m. Louis Lambert, pseudonymn of Patrick Sarsfield Gil V - When Johnny comes marching home again, Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll give him a hearty welcome then. Hurrah! Hurrah! C - . . . And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home. N - Possibly derived from Irish Anti-War Song "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" PD Reprint
When June Comes Along With A Song
Popular Song
1923 - w.m. George M. Cohan (1878-1942) PD Reprint
When My Baby Smiles at Me
Popular Song
1919 - m. Bill Munro, w. Andrew Sterling, Ted Lewis PD Reprint
When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
Popular Song
1924 - w.m. Gene Austin, Jimmy McHugh & Irving Mills V - I know a thing or two And I'm telling you I've got a wonderful gal. She's got the cutest smile. A million dollar style. C - When my sugar goes down the street All the little birdies go tweet, tweet, tweet, And in the ev'ning when the sun goes down It's never dark when she's around. PD Reprint
When the Chariot Comes
Spiritual
V - O who will drive the chariot when she cu-hu-hu-hu-hums? O who will drive chariot when she comes? C - O who will drive the chariot, O who will drive the chariot, O who will drive the chariot when she comes? N - Original tune for She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain PD Reprint
When The Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin'
Popular Song
1926 - w.m. Harry Woods V - I heard a robin this morning, I'm feeling happy today. Goin' to pack my cares in a whistle, And blow them all away. C - When the red, red, robin comes bob, bob, bobin' a long, along. There'll be no more sobbin' When he starts throbbin' his old sweet song. PD Reprint
When the Saints Go Marching In
Popular Song
1925 - Origin Unknown, Likely Black Spiritual, 1896 or earlier V - When the saints go marching in. When the saints go marching in. Lord I want to be among that number When the saints go marching in. C - Verse2: When the graves give up their dead. Verse3: When they crown Him Lord of all. N - Earliest published version as song is known today was likely in 1925 By Theo Harris. 'March In' with a 1925 copyright notice was addended to a reprinting of his 1919 hymnal 'Songs Of his Coming'.
A hymn published in 1896, When the Saints Are Marching In, w. Katharine E. Purvis, m. James M. Black, is similar but far from exact.
PD Reprint
When You and I Were Seventeen
Popular Song
1924 - w. Gus Kahn m. Charles Rosoff PD Reprint
When You and I Were Young, Maggie
Popular Song
1866 - w. George W. Johnson, m. James Austin Butterfield V - I wandered today to the hill, Maggie, To watch the scene below! The creek and the creaking old mis, Maggie, As we used to long a go. C - Maggie, Since you and I were young. PD Reprint
When You Walked Out Someone Else Walked Right In
Popular Song
1923 - w.m. Irving Berlin (1888 - 1989) V - My honey do you remember 'twas a December day, I said that you would repent the day that you went away. C - When you walked out someone else walked right in. Someone with good news stepped right in your shoes. PD Reprint
When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose
Popular Song
1914 - m. Percy Weinrich, w. Jack Mahoney PD Reprint
Where Do You Work-a John?
Popular Song
1926 - w.m. Mortimer Weinberg, Charley Marks, Harry Warren N - Push-a Push-a Push' Comic Song with Many Verses PD Reprint
Where Has My Little Dog Gone
College
V - Oh where, oh where has my little dog tone. Oh, where, oh where can he be? PD Reprint
Where The Lazy Daisies Grow
Popular Song
1924 - w.m. Cliff Friend PD Reprint
Where'd You Get Those Eyes
Popular Song
1926 - w.m. Walter Donaldson, Abe Lyman PD Reprint
Whiffenpoof Song
Popular Song
1909 - m. Tod Galloway, w. Meade Minnigerode, George S. Pomeroy V - From the tables down at Mory's, to the place where Judas dwells, to the dear old Temple Bar we love so well. C - We are poor little lambs who have gone astray. Baa Baa Baa. We are little black sheep who have lost our way. Baa Baa Baa. PD Reprint
Whispering
Popular Song
1920 - m. John Schonberger, w. Malvin Schonberger V - Honey I have something to tell you And it's worthwhile listening to C - Whispering while you cuddle near me, Whispering so no one can hear me. PD Reprint
Whispering Hope
Popular Song
1868 - w.m. Alice Hawthorne V - Soft as the voice of an angel, Breathing a lesson unheard. Hope with a gentle persuasion, Whispers her comforting word C - Whispering Hope, Oh how welcome thy voice. Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. N - Alice Hawthorne is pseudonymn for Septimus Winner PD Reprint
White Coral Bells (May Bells)
Traditional
V - White Coral Bells upon a slender stalk -- Lillies of the valley deck our garden walk. Oh, don't you wish that you could hear them ring . . . PD Reprint
Who Takes Care of the Caretaker's Daughter
Popular Song
1925 - w.m. Chick Endor V - I know that Babe Ruth makes home runs And Dempsey is the champ. Marconi made the radio and Cleopatra was a vamp. C - Who takes care of the caretaker's daughter While the caretaker's busy taking care? Gee! Oh! Gosh oh! Gee! That's what worries me. PD Reprint
Who?
Popular Song
1925 - m. Jerome Kern PD Reprint
Who'll Buy My Violets
Popular Song
1923 - w. E. Ray Goetz m. Jose Padilla PD Reprint
Who's Sorry Now?
Popular Song
1923 - w. Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby, m. Ted Snyder P - A Night In Casablanca - The Marx Brothers V - You smiled when we parted, It hurt me somehow, I thought there were was nothing worthwhile. The tables are turning And you're crying now C - Who's sorry now? . . .Whose heart is aching for breaking each vow? Who's sad and blue? Who's crying too? Just like I cried over you. PD Reprint
Why Did I Kiss That Girl?
Popular Song
1924 - w. Lew Brown m. Robert A. King & Ray Henderson PD Reprint
Why Do I Love You?
Popular Song
1925 - w. Ira Gershwin, Bud DeSylva, m. George Gershwin PD Reprint
Wild Flower
Popular Song
1923 - w. Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II m. Vincent Youmans & Herbert Stothar PD Reprint
Wild Irish RoseSee My Wild Irish Rose
William Tell Overture
Traditional
1829 - Rossini N - TV Theme for "The Lone Ranger" PD Reprint
Wolverine Blues
Popular Song
1923 - w.m. Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton, Benjamin Spikes & John C. Spikes PD Reprint
Wreck On The Southern Old 97
Popular Song
1924 - w.m. Henry Whitter V - They gave him up his order at Monroe Vaginia, saying Steve you're way behind time. This is not 'Thirty Eight' but it's 'Old Ninety-seven', You must put her in Spencer on time. N - a.k.a. Wreck Of The Old 97 (1944) PD Reprint
PD Info Logo

770-993-8074

PD InfoPublic Domain Information Project

© 2024 Haven Sound, Inc.

Switch to Mobile Version.
Switch to Desktop Version.